The Hunger Games Peeta POV
by jessiegirl3283
Summary: Hiya guys, i love the hunger games series, and decided i wanted to write it in peeta's pov :D no hater plz, this is my first fanfic. I hope u like it! Sorry about the random lenghts of the chapters lol...
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I toss and turn anxiously in my bed as I stare at the ceiling. Frustrated by the lack of progress in sleep I get up and sit next to my window. Tomorrow is the day of the Reaping. I wonder who will get picked. Will it be me? No, I don't think so. Not that I'm untouchable, but it's highly unlikely that I will be picked, I'm only 17, so my name has been entered only 6 times. No, I'm more worried someone I know and care about will be picked. Which is likely because I know everyone in District 12. I'll be forced to watch them die a gruesome death they really don't deserve at all.

The whole thing sickens me, really. The way the Capitol treats us, how they keep us caged up like wild animals, letting us all starve. And how they "punish" us by having each District send a boy tribute and a girl tribute into the Hunger Games to fight to the death. This is purely for entertainment and control. Just another way for the Capitol to show us how they own us. And, in the eyes of the Capitol, this is "Justice" for the rebellion of the Districts, so many years ago. Oh, but I would never say this out loud. I would surely be punished for a comment like that. The severity of that punishment just depends on who I say it in front of.

If I were to say this in front my parents, for instance, I know for sure my father would give me a big long speech about how fortunate our family is. Which is true, we are. I live in a two story home, my father brings in enough money to at least have a meal a day, two if we're lucky, and when I'm 18 I don't have to sign up for a job in the mines, I'll work in the bakery. Most of District 12's population lives in the Seam where many are starving, but most are able to provide for their families. Yes, I can expect a speech from Dad, but my witch of a mother would just beat me and take away my food for an unreasonably long amount of time.

If I were to let this comment slip in front of some Peacekeepers, I would probably be tried and convicted of some ridiculous crime of rebellion against the Capitol and be whipped. Whipped to a hunk of meat and left to die. So, you see, I keep these kinds of comments to myself.

Yet as I stare out my window at the poor and starving District 12, I can't help but find it beautiful. The way the moon and stars light up the dark streets in the night. And how the houses give off a yellowish light through the windows, like candles. Pretty beautiful if you ask me.

I sigh and crawl back in bed, knowing deep down that I really do need some sleep, because the Reaping isn't until 2pm but I still have a lot to do in the bakery until then. Plus I have to look good in case I'm picked as a tribute, I can't have bags under my eyes! No, that simply won't do for the glamorous people of the Capitol. And on that bitter note I close my eyes and wait for sleep that will never come.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The sound of my father cursing and the smell of burning bread automatically has me jumping out of bed. The first thought that runs through my groggy head is _The house is on fire! _But that is not true. This is much, much, _much_ worse.

Somebody has burnt bread.

You'd think this is common at a bakery, but burning bread means a severe beating from my mother, and she'll make sure you don't eat for a couple weeks. It really depends on what type of bread you burn. Bread is hard to come by in the Seam, and yes, my family owns a bakery, but we are starving just as much as the people in the Seam. My family doesn't eat anything we make in the bakery, unless we spend a whole weeks pay on one loaf, or unless it goes stale. But burnt bread, we feed to the pigs.

I get dressed quickly and go downstairs. My father is retrieving a black lump from the oven, and tossing it back and forth in his bare hands.

"Feed the pigs." He tosses it to me. I do as I am told because it's the day of the Reaping and the last thing my Dad needs to worry about me being a little jerk. There are going to be plenty of customers today, getting pastries and bread for their "feasts" (Its sort of a tradition to have a feast on the day of the Reaping.) So I grab my apron and am about to head over and finish icing some cupcakes, when my dad stops me. "Go clean up the kill on the counter." He is busy kneading dough. I change direction and find a small squirrel on the counter. Poor thing still had an arrow in its abdomen, this is how I know Gale shot it. Whenever Katniss Everdeen trades with my father, the animal is always shot in the eye. Plus she never leaves her arrow still in it. Gale is no good with a bow. I carefully dislodge the arrow and clean it off, sure one of the two will come to collect it throughout the day. I hope it's Katniss.

After that task I go back to the cupcakes, and once I'm finished with that its already 11am. Reluctantly I head upstairs to my room to get ready. To my surprise, I open my bedroom door and find clothes already laid out on the bed for me. This is odd behavior from my mother, but I ignore the thought and slide into the white button up shirt and black slacks. I slick my hair back and shine my loafers afterwards. Its 12:00pm when I go downstairs and meet with my family. We all walk together to the town square, to wait yet another two hours to check in.

The line is excruciatingly long, but finally I get to the front and after all the waiting, all they do is prick my finger and smear my blood on a piece of paper. Once in my family says goodbye, my father and brothers hug me and my mother gives me an awkward pat on the cheek. I head over with the other 17 year olds. That's when I find my best friend Sammy.

"Hey man." He says.

"Hey."

He has brown hair and naturally pale skin but he seems to be a sickly shade of grey, and I know why. Today is his little brother's birthday. He is twelve. See, in order to be chosen in the games, your name is entered in a big ball full of paper slips. And the first time your name is entered, is when you turn twelve. And each year after that, your name is entered once again, but it can be added numerous times if you accept any assistance from the Capitol.

"Hey man, don't worry. Your brother's name is only on one of those paper slips, out of thousands! I guarantee he won't be picked." I pat Sammy on the shoulder.

He nods a little. "Poor kid didn't sleep at all last night. First Reaping is always the hardest."

Just then a bubbly little woman with a huge pink wig, that looks more like a rat's nest if you ask me, sitting on her head comes up onto the stage to the microphone. It's Effie Trinket.

"Hello everyone! Happy Hunger Games!" She gushes. "I'm Effie, here to give you a special message, all the way from the Capitol!"

As if that is supposed to impress us. Oh how desperately I want to punch you in the face, miss Effie. For wishing us a "_Happy Hunger Games" _ How sick.

A dreary video booms over us, the same one that is played every. Single. Year. Then the Mayor gives us the same speech from every year about the history of Panem and why we celebrate the Hunger Games. I've heard this so many times from here and once month in school, it's practically drilled in my head. I mouth the words the same time the Mayor says them in the microphone, rolling my eyes.

Finally the Mentor, Haymitch, comes stumbling up on stage possibly having one to many to drink, and practically tackles Effie trying to hug her. He finds his seat and Effie has to hold her pink wig when it threatens to fall off as she reaches into the big glass ball full of all the girls' names. "Ladies first!" She laughs. The nerve of this woman.

The crowd is squished so closely together that we all feel one another's tension. We all catch our breath at the same time. "Primrose Everdeen!" Effie squeals into the microphone. Oh no. We all hate it when a twelve year old gets picked. I know sweet little Prim too, she is nothing more than an innocent baby. She wouldn't hurt a fly. As I watch her make her way to the stage I hear a commotion in the back.

"Prim!" A girl screams "Prim!" Its Katniss. _No _I think. _No no no no no. _ But its too late, I already know what she will do now. "I volunteer! I volunteer as a tribute!" She pushes her little sister behind her as she screams for Katniss. A boy I know as Gale comes from behind and picks little Prim up as she thrashes around. Katniss makes her way onto the stage and Effie laughs

"What is your name, sweetie?" Effie hugs Katniss.

"Katniss. Katniss Everdeen." She responds in a thick voice. She clears her throat.

"I bet my buttons that was your sister!" Effie exclaims. Katniss is looking far out in the distance, trying hard to keep her composure.

"Yes." She says hoarsely.

Haymitch comes up out of his seat and says something unintelligible about Katniss, and proceeds to stumble and fall off the stage.

"Well How about a big round of applause for Miss Katniss Everdeen!" Effie starts to clap, but no one joins in. Instead, everyone starts to do an old gesture from our district, and I soon join in. One by one, everyone in the crowd holds their three middle fingers to their lips and then out to Katniss.

"Uh, ok then, now for the boys!" Effie walks over to the bowl, but I'm ignoring her, I'm staring at Katniss, trying to figure out how I would survive watching her being murdered on my television screen, when I hear Effie's shrill voice, loud and clear in the microphone.  
'"Peeta Mellark!"

Sammy gasps beside me. I stand there, in shock, then I shudder, because I heard correctly. I dig my finger nails into my palm, just to make sure I'm not dreaming. Nope, they really called my name. Somehow I get my legs to work as I climb up onto the stage, next to Katniss. "Wonderful!" Effie hugs me.

I make sure I don't look at Katniss at all until the anthem is finished, and the Mayor signals us to shake hands. We stare each other down. Then her small, soft hand is in mine. How can I kill her? I can't do it. I wince at the thought as I look into her beautiful grey eyes. _Stop it, Peeta. You have no choice, do you really want to make this harder than it already is?_ I think. Then our hands pull away. Way to fast for my taste. _Stop it._ I think again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hiya guys, I just wanted to say thanks for checking out my story:D Again, sorry about the random lengths of each chapter, I just get caught up in the story and keep going and going and going. I hope you do too! PLEASE review I would love to hear your thoughts and would greatly appreciate some constructive criticism!**

Chapter 3

Before anything has a chance to sink in, they whisk us away to the Justice Building and stuff us in these little waiting rooms, to say goodbye to our families.

The first people to come and see me are my friends. They hug me and tell me how sorry they are, and reassure me I will win, but deep down I know they're just glad they're not in my shoes.

Then my brothers come in. They stare at me for a while, then hug me until the peacekeepers drag them away. They scream 'Good luck!' and 'I love you!' as they struggle against the guards.

My mother comes in, without my father. To yet again, my surprise, her eyes are red from crying. But her mood quickly changes. "How dare you!" She slaps me across the face, leaving my left cheek stinging. "How dare you split this family up!" _What? _

"You're blaming me for involuntarily being summoned to my certain death?" I scream. My mother is taken aback by my sudden outburst, because I never talk back to her. "Get out! Get out!" I beg, I wish I could push her, or somehow punch common sense into her, but I would never lay my hands on a woman. Of course that's all about to change…..

My father is my last visitor. He is a man of few words, and this moment is no different. I can't think of what I needed to tell him, and then it suddenly comes to me.

"The squirrel.. the one I cleaned this morning, I forgot to put it in the fridge. Its still on the counter. Sorry." I stumble through my words.

My father stares at me, then breaks down crying. He grabs me and rocks me and tells me he loves me. I've never seen my father like this. I've never seen him cry, nor has he ever told me he loves me. He pulls away, and now tears our sliding down my cheeks. He grabs my shoulders and shakes me a little, looking me straight in the eye.

"Will you try? Try to win, I mean?" He pleads.

"Yes." I say after a moment. "Dad, tell mom I love her and I'm sorry." I say. That was a bad way to end things with her, even if I think she's a witch. We all know I wont be coming back, and I don't want her to remember me like that.

"Of course, son." He promises. He has stopped crying, but still holds me until the guards come to get him. He leaves without a fight.

Apparently Katniss still had more visitors, because I waited there for another fifteen minutes. I wiped my tears and now I'm angry that I cried at all, because whenever I cry my eyes get all puffy and red and Katniss will surely notice. I'll appear weak. Too late, Effie comes in and tells me to follow her. I walk out the door, and there is Katniss. I pretend to pay no attention to her, but I glance at her out of the corner of my eye. Err, a couple of times. She appears stone cold, but her eyes give her away. Her face is cold and expressionless, but her eyes ar glassy and full of remorse. This reminds me of an incident way back….

_*Flashback*_

_"You stupid idiot!" My mother shoves me away from the oven as she attempts to save the expensive bread loaves I have burned. "Look what you have done!" She hits me across the face with the still burning bread, fresh out of the oven. I grab my smoldering cheek and cover the rest of my face with my arm, knowing that her rampage is not over. "Take it like a man, Peeta! Grow a pair already, dammit!" She hits me again on the arm, leaving a big red mark, and takes my hand so she can shove the two bread loaves in it. "Feed it to the pigs, you worthless piece of-" I'm already out the door. I rip one of the loaves into small pieces and toss them into the pin. I briefly look up, not expecting to see anyone outside in this horrible weather, but lock eyes with a small girl huddled by a tree. Her cheeks are hollow, and her beautiful grey eyes tug at my subconscious. She looks pale and far too skinny for her age, same age as me, 15 I look at the bread in my hand. We aren't supposed to give handouts; my mother would probably kill me. I run to the door and peek in. My mother is screaming at my brother as she kneads more dough, not paying attention. I run back out and make eye contact with the girl again. I throw the bread as hard as I can, and it lands right in front of her feet. She stares at it in disbelief, then at me. Tears are in her eyes as she tucks the bread in her jacket and walks as discreetly as she can in the opposite direction. I pretend nothing happened and get back to work in my father's bakery. _

The train station was surrounded by cameras and reporters that grabbed at my shirt as I walked by. They kept trying to stop me and ask me questions but Effie told us to ignore them. We are rushed onto the entrance step and forced to turn around and smile for the cameras.

The train is the most beautiful place I've ever been to in my life. The curtains that line the windows probably cost more than my house and the family bakery combined. We are each assigned a room and private bathroom with running water. Running. Water.

I don't bother exploring the rest of the train, I just go to my room and take a long, soapy shower. My first shower, in fact. When I'm done, I smell like heaven. Actually, I smell more like roses. Effie told me dinner would be ready in an hour, so I climb out and put on the first thing in my trunk full of clothes, provided generously by the Capitol, that fit me perfectly….

I wonder around until I find the dining room.

"Ah, there you are, I was just about to come get you!" Effie pats a chair seated next to a hung over Haymitch, who's face down on the beautiful tablecloth.

"I'll go fetch Katniss." Effie skips out of the room.

Haymitch's china is pushed up so there is room for his head. I started to think he was dead, because he wasn't breathing, when he grumbles and heads off down the hall. Some mentor.

Effie comes back with an exhausted looking Katniss, and I realize I must look just as tired.

"Where's Haymitch?" Effie asks.

"Err, last I saw him, he left to take a nap." I guess. The guy looked wrecked and in need of sleep.

"Oh, well. It has been an exhausting day." Effie looks relieved.

We all sit down and the waiters bring course after course of these rich foods I've never heard of. I don't care what it's called, if its on my plate then it's in my mouth. Effie keeps telling us to slow down and leave room, that there is more to come, but I have no idea how to make room for this food. I end up finding a way.

Effie makes a comment on our table manners, which were apparently better than last year's tributes. Her ignorant comment makes me extremely angry. I guess this peeved Katniss off so much, she started to eat with her hands, making Effie grimace. By the end of dinner, my stomach is so stuffed I feel like it'll pop. All my food threatens to make another appearance, but I mange to keep it down at the dinner table. But then we are excused to go back to our rooms until the television program about the reapings.

I blow chunks in that shiny Capitol toilet. "Uuuuuuggghhh." I groan. So much food. So much rich food. I've never eaten that much food in my life. I rinse out my mouth and head out to the tv room. As I sit down on the couch, Effie asks me if I'm alright.

_No._ I think. _I woke up this morning, only to find out my life is about to end in the worst way possible, and while you're at it, the first and last love of my very short life, will be trying to kill me along the way, and I will be trying to kill her. Oh, and I just puked! Today is NOT my goddamn day._

"Mmmhmm." I moan. I clutch my stomach and sit next to Katniss. She still looks green. How is she holding that all down? I knew it was coming back up the moment dinner was over.

That's when I registered my thoughts. I automatically thought Katniss was the first love of my life. I look at her again. Yeah, yeah it's true. I've had a crush on her forever, but I never thought it was anything more. I love Katniss. She was the first love of my life, and my last. I'm not exactly upset by this, though.

The show is on, and one by one, our competition's faces flash across the screen. Each face that flickers on the screen, is just another life I have to end, to get to the top. I size the guys up, and notice that there are only one or two that are bigger than me. I'm not very tall, but I'm not short, and my shoulders are wide set from lifting things in the bakery. I can easily overpower the girls, but Katniss can't be more than 50 pounds. All the girls are double her size, except for a 12 year old from District 11. I look sadly at the little girl's face, innocent and terrified. She doesn't deserve this. None of us do.

Finally District 12 flashes on the screen. Primrose being called, then Katniss volunteering. Then I'm called, but no one jumps to my aid. I couldn't blame them. I quietly take my place on stage, my face is emotionless, but my eyes are filled with shock. The anthem plays and then the show endes.

"You're mentor has a lot to learn about presentation!" Effie huffs.

I laugh out loud, making Katniss jump. "He was drunk. He's drunk every year."

"Every day." Katniss corrects with a small smile.

"Yes, how odd you two find this funny. Your mentor is your lifeline in these sports, you know!" Effie snaps.

As if on cue, Haymitch stumbles into the room and asks when supper is, then proceeds to puke all over the ground and fall face first in it.

"So laugh away!" Effie hisses and leaves the romm making a _tsk tsking_ noise.


End file.
